The purpose of the ad was to frame Dion, but all the Tories have accomplished is to solidify the notion that they are mean-spirited. Negative ads can work, but once again the Conservatives have shown they don’t have the political instincts to realize when to stop. Canadians don’t want endless negativity, they want a vision. These ads say more about the government, their nature and their own lack of accomplishment, than it does about Dion. As a matter of fact, this entire ad campaign has been a complete embarrassment, whether it be the topic or the tone.

The important stat is the Improved!!If an election is called and Dion has to run on his record . . . The environment non-action, his French citizen status, and his painful attempts to communicate will quickly make him a distant second.

O/T but I thought you might enjoy this quote from Harper, oops, I mean Bush.

I can't see the difference, can you see the difference?

Speaking ahead of his meeting, Mr Bush said that instead of backing the proposed emissions caps he favoured his own plan that the worst CO2 emitting nations, including the US, China and India, meet before the year is out to put together a new long-term strategy to tackle the problem.

..."The United States can serve as a bridge to help find a solution," Mr Bush said

That last result (52% do not think the Liberal leader is a leader), is the most disturbing one to all Liberals.

If a similar percentage of voters believes the same come election day, then Harper might be elected to a majority government, warts and all.

Let's hope that the advisors and other senior officers of the Liberal Party are digging into the reasons why so many people do not find Dion to be a leader, and are devising programs to change this dangerous perception.

A party perceived as 'leaderless' stands faint chance of becoming the next government.

If you are correct, then Harper is banking on the electorate ignoring Harper's lies and exaggerations, and paying attention to what Harper says about Dion.

This kind of works outside an election, because most of the focus is on the government and not the opposition. During an election, however, the focus is on the opposition. That is when the electorate will see the sharp contrast between Harper and Dion. One inhabits the gutter; the other inhabits the high road.

I am not concerned about liberal support, and Dion's support trailing the conservatives at this point. If I were a conservative I would be concerned about the fact that even after almost 18 months in office, their numbers are not going up, and that the only thing they do to try and turn that around is attack Dion.

People are not stupid - they will see through this -as this poll clearly shows.

That number is objectively concerning, however we have seen that one before, so people are wrong to extrapolate that finding as relevant to the ads. The bad news for the Conservatives, the findings show NO impact, with an overall negative impression, not of Dion, but of Harper. As the numbers show, the ads didn't hurt Dion, relative to Harper, which is bizarre, given that the ads are Conservative.